‘Noru’ to bring weighty rain on Thursday night
The federal government has set up a “war room” in order to closely monitor the impact of Typhoon Noru, which is expected to hit the northeastern provinces as a hurricane on Thursday.
Noru is usually forecast to bring weighty rain to Thailand, similar to Dianmu which usually struck in Sept last year.
Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the war room, chaired by Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, will gather information about the storm, assess the severity and consider actions to mitigate its impact.
According to the Meteorological Department, the typhoon will make landfall in central Vietnam tomorrow before hitting Thailand early on Thursday early morning.
“Those residing in low-lying places should watch out for flash flooding and run-off from higher ground. Nearby agencies have been purchased to mobilise their particular resources to ensure they can provide timely help those affected, ” the spokesman mentioned.
Chomparee Chompurat, director-general from the Meteorological Department, said Noru would have become a tropical storm by the time it reaches Thailand.
Together with the building up southwesterly monsoon within the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Asia, the storm will bring heavy rain to most parts of the country, including Bangkok and its surrounding provinces between Sept 28-Oct 1 .
According to Ms Chomparee, the department provides detected a new hurricane forming in the Pacific cycles Ocean, but because the system is moving north towards Taiwan and Japan, it is not likely to affect Asia.
One more storm system is expected to form in the middle of October, but it is still too early to forecast the path, he said.
Mister Chaiwut, in his capacity as the war room’s chairman, said the federal government is concerned about the nearing storm because several provinces, including a few in the northeast, are still inundated.
The minister cautioned of possible surges and landslides because the storm is likely to bring around 100 millimetres of rainfall in several areas. He or she urged local authorities to offer constant updates at the flood situation therefore local residents can prepare.
He said companies should consider allowing their particular employees to take a few days off to help alleviate traffic congestion brought on by flooding across the city.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said while Town Hall is prepared for the coming surprise, there are still concerns regarding possible floods brought on by water discharges through Pasak Jolasid Dam in Lop Buri and the rising level along the Chao Phraya River.
He said Town Hall’s Drainage and Sewerage Department would be to boost the city’s ton defences, especially in the city’s east and across the Chao Phraya Lake.
The particular governor said Town Hall is directing water away from the city’s canals to ensure they are capable of receiving the additional rainfall. Additionally it is reinforcing several places along the Chao Phraya River and other major waterways in Bangkok with around second . 5 million sandbags.
Mister Chadchart said Bangkok residents are also being urged to protect them selves against floods simply by installing water pumping systems and placing sandbags around their property. “City Hall is ready to supply assistance and equipment, ” he stated.
Thaweesak Thanadechopol, deputy director-general of the Royal Water sources Department, said the country’s large plus medium-sized reservoirs are at 72% capability.
With each other, the nation’s four major dams — Bhumibol in Tak, Sirikit in Uttaradit, Kwae Noi Bamrung Lalu in Phitsanulok plus Pasak Jolasid in Lop Buri — hold about sixteen billion cubic metre distances of water. They could store an additional 8. 904 billion cu metres of water.
Mr Thaweesak said the department is carefully monitoring reservoirs which have reached 80% capability, to ensure authorities has the potential of releasing the water in a timely manner.
Meanwhile, the Department of Tragedy Prevention and Minimization yesterday reported that will 37 districts in 18 provinces are already hit by flooding between Sept 22-26. They are Chiang Mai, Lampang, Lamphun, Sukhothai, Tak, Phetchabun, Kamphaeng Phet, Loei, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Amnat Charoen, Si Sa Ket, Nakhon Ratchasima, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Rayong, Prachin Buri plus Samut Prakan.